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Someone asked me last week for my advice on which DSLR to get. I half joked that I’d sell them by D300 and 18-200 and they said yes. I said that I'd consider it. I had been thinking about changing over to a D700 or such one day in the future and so have only been getting full frame lenses. The 18-200 is my only DX lens.

There have been a few discussions on the forum about how happy people are with their D700 or around the D300 – D700 ISO stuff. What I’m really after is feedback around the different feel going from a crop to full frame camera from people who have actually changed from say a D300 to D700/D3. I found one post elsewhere where someone went from a D300 to D700 and then back to a D300 as they didn't like it.

Now that I may actually make the move I’m not sure if I’ll miss the 1.5 crop. I do mostly take landscapes or people at functions but I also have taken friends playing sport. I don’t want to keep the 300 and get a 700 as well. I’m not really a birder and my sport shooting is about once a year. I have looked at exifplot and about a third of my pics fall into each of 14-24, 24-70 and 70-200, so I use the full range of what I have.

Does my 24-70 become less useful as say a walkabout lens? What do I use as a travel lens? The 18-200 was excellent for travel.

Gadgit wrote: I have looked at exifplot and about a third of my pics fall into each of 14-24, 24-70 and 70-200, so I use the full range of what I have.

Where, within each of those lens's ranges, are they used?

Does my 24-70 become less useful as say a walkabout lens?

I would generally expect tha it becomes even more useful. When I was shooting film, 24mm was my favourite focal length. With a crop body, I find I like 10 - 15mm, except of course that my favourite lens is the cream machine, and I find that to be almost welded to the camera.

I have and actually miss my D300-18-200 cvombo.. But that is teh only one. I have grabbed my self a 28-300 tamron which works pretty well. I had the nikon 28-200 but an older version built like a tank... So an update of that would be great.

Other than that I find I use my 50 a lot more often also on the D700.

Good luck and dont look back..

MATT

I've just moved from a D90 to D700 (although I've been hiring/borrowing D700's or D3's for a little while).

I do mostly take landscapes or people at functions but I also have taken friends playing sport.

I've found the full frame to be invaluable for function work - hence the recent decision to finally buy one. Most of my shots are conference speakers, parties or bands playing in pubs and the combination of a nice wide 24mm and low light ability of the D700/D3 sensor is perfect.

I agree with Gary that the 24-70 becomes a more useful walkabout and it's become my default lens. What sort of range are you after for your travels? Last trip I took I brought a fast 30 and my old 70-300 as this combo was quite light weight. I haven't traveled with the 24-70, 70-200 combo yet and I'm not sure if I want to carry that much. Perhaps one of the long zoom Sigmas could be an option ( esp. if you don't want/need f2.8 )?

I personally don't miss the crop factor for people shots - actually make indoor shooting much easier. For long shots, I've tried a 1.4 TC with my 70-200 and while the shots have certainly been usable I think my next purchase will have to be a proper 300mm.

Cheers

gstark wrote:

Gadgit wrote: I have looked at exifplot and about a third of my pics fall into each of 14-24, 24-70 and 70-200, so I use the full range of what I have.

Where, within each of those lens's ranges, are they used?

My previous results of the thirds were when I was deciding which lens to take on an outing. I'm not sure what time period I was looking at but the results stuck in my head.
Below is for 2009:
18 - 9%
24 - 10%
32 - 5%
40 - 4%
55 - 9%
70 - 26%
90 - 3%
120 - 13%
150 - 2%
200 - 20%
(the 200 is a bit over quoted as a soccer game had quite a few shots that I kept and most were at the 200 end).

gstark wrote:

Gadgit wrote: Does my 24-70 become less useful as say a walkabout lens?

I would generally expect tha it becomes even more useful. When I was shooting film, 24mm was my favourite focal length. With a crop body, I find I like 10 - 15mm, except of course that my favourite lens is the cream machine, and I find that to be almost welded to the camera.

Sounds good to me.



Thanks Matt and Dan. It sounds like I will need a long zoom sometime if I want to travel light, but it appears that for now I will be happy if I make the move.

... the only question is which FF to get?

5D2?

I mulled over the D3 or D700 decision for a while but the recent drop in D700 prices pushed me towards it. Now you can almost get 2 D700's for the price of 1 D3 and for me, thinking about maybe needing 2 bodies, that sold it. Then again, I'm not doing sports/action photography and don't think I need the possibly better weather sealing. What I do wish the D700 had was dual card slots. I just get paranoid with cards failing.

Either way - you're not going to go wrong.

Another D700....

The I have used my 24-70 in my F80 and found it even better than on my D300...the extra width is great, and i dont notice the loss in length.

As for which FX body...D700 for sure, unless you can justify the D3s with its ability to shoot 8fps in 14-bit RAW, dual card slots and video capability

If you intend on using a grip then go the D3 if you can afford it.

MATT

First post so I better make it worthy.
I have a D300 and a D3.
Love them both but find I pick up the D3 more and more. It just does it all that little bit better.
The D300 however with the grip is a very underrated product. The extra reach is very handy.
I shoot bikes and horses only. So sports is my bag, so to speak.

If I had a D300 would I go the D700 and dump the D300.

I can't tell you. Sorry. If the question was get the D3, then yes, I did.

Full frame is very nice. You won't regret getting the D700 if you do.

Sylvia wrote:First post so I better make it worthy.

Welcome aboard Sylvia! I think I speak for many when I say that I look forward to seeing some of your work

aim54x wrote:

Sylvia wrote:First post so I better make it worthy.

Welcome aboard Sylvia! I think I speak for many when I say that I look forward to seeing some of your work

You do in everything that you've said here.

Sylvia, welcome, and it's good to see that you've stopped lurking.

Sylvia, thanks for the input and welcome to the forum.

Gary, I haven't seen much info on the NIKON 5DII. Can you include a review in the next Chimp?

So full frame it is, with a D700 the most likely contender.

Thanks warm welcome people.

aim54x wrote:

Sylvia wrote:First post so I better make it worthy.

Welcome aboard Sylvia! I think I speak for many when I say that I look forward to seeing some of your work

I am just a learner mate. Nothing that flash I promise.

Sylvia wrote:I am just a learner mate. Nothing that flash I promise.

We were all there at some point. Many of us still are.

But by shooting and posting, we can perhaps offer some suggestions for improvement, and then you can graduate from your Ls to your Ps.

Went from the d70 straight to a d700, and am in love with it. Bit of a learning curve, but not too bad.
I'm not sure if my photos are any better, but it certainly makes life easier, it is quicker, clearer at high iso, faster to focus and just beautiful to work with Did I mention that I love it ?????

Actually used the old backup d70 a few months ago, and couldn't get used to it, and took really really really crappy shots (even more so than usual !!), so once you've gone to the d700, it's bloody hard to go back !!

gstark wrote:

Sylvia wrote:I am just a learner mate. Nothing that flash I promise.

We were all there at some point. Many of us still are.

But by shooting and posting, we can perhaps offer some suggestions for improvement, and then you can graduate from your Ls to your Ps.

Hi Gary,
Sorry for he belated reply.
I have just gotten back from a little bit of a lap of the outback.
Great fun.

blacknstormy wrote:Actually used the old backup d70 a few months ago, and couldn't get used to it, and took really really really crappy shots (even more so than usual !!), so once you've gone to the d700, it's bloody hard to go back !!

That's true even after going from a D70 to a D300. While I was waiting for the housing issues to be sorted out, I did a dive with my D70. It was terrible. While I love the D300, I didn't remember a huge leap going from the D70 to the D300 but going back is very difficult. (I should mention that I had accidentally bumped the diopter adjustment on the viewfinder of the D70 when putting it in the housing and it was way out of focus. )

Sylvia wrote:Sorry for he belated reply.

Hi Sylvia. No need to apologise. We all understand that we each lead different but busy lives, and that we will get to this stuff as and when we can.

I have just gotten back from a little bit of a lap of the outback.

Looks like fun too. I would have probably shot the first image from a little towards the right from where you have made this image, placing the bike a little more towards the left, with the road leading off onto the distance and towards the right.